OKNA Overlook Neighborhood Email 3/7/14

Hello Overlook, sorry about the delivery delay.. we had email issues last night. Here’s your rainy-day email update from the Overlook Neighborhood Association/OKNA.

This week, there’s a meeting for everyone.. spring is coming and all those projects need planning and input. Pick your favorites and mark your calendars now!

Don’t forget to ‘like’ us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OKNAinPDX) and share our posts with your neighbors. Can you believe I met someone this week who hadn’t heard of PSAC? : ) We need your help in sharing neighborhood information; the more informed we all are, the better our neighborhood will be.

Next week there will be some traffic disruptions when crews are working on Greeley Avenue (Killingsworth to Holman). Drivers and bike riders using Greeley should observe traffic control signs, and avoid work zones where possible.

Killingsworth Street: Preparation for a pipe-bursting operation on Killingsworth ( Concord to Interstate) is scheduled to begin the week of March 17. Businesses and homes adjacent to the work zone will receive notice the day before the actual pipe burst.

There will be some traffic disruptions when crews are working on Killingsworth Street. Drivers and bike riders using Killingsworth should observe traffic control signs, and avoid work zones where possible.

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2) The Overlook House is Hiring (3/18)

The Overlook House is seeking two additional staff members to support events at the house. One position would be more on-call, the other would have more regular hours of approx 30 hrs/mo during the summer. Primary duty is supporting wedding and party events including opening, closing, answering phone inquiries, and minor clerical duties. Qualifications include good communications skills, and the ability to promote a successful event in the context of a residential neighborhood. Customer service experience a plus. Please mail resume to: Coordinator, 3839 N Melrose Dr., Portland, OR 97227. Apply by March 18th.

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3) Metro’s got Nature in Neighborhoods grants (3/11)

Want to get rid of weeds, improve water quality, create wildlife habitat or otherwise restore nature across the Portland metropolitan area? Apply for a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods restoration and community stewardship grant. Fill out a simple application by April 22, 2014 at www.oregonmetro.gov/grants for small habitat restoration grants up to $25,000 and large restoration grants up to $100,000. Thanks to a 2013 parks and natural areas levy approved by the region’s voters, Metro anticipates awarding about $700,000 in restoration grants this year.

Want to learn more?

Attend a restoration grant workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand Ave. in Portland. If you are not able to attend, the audio of the meeting and the presentation will be available at www.oregonmetro.gov/grants.

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4) Safety and Resource Fair – Preventing Sex Offenses (3/12)

Learn how the government and other resources respond to & prevent sex offenses in the community

Hello Neighbors, Lately in the news, there have been reports of sex offenses in a number of neighborhoods in North and Northeast: a serial flasher, public groping, and assaults. These incidents are unrelated to each other, and it’s mere coincidence that they have happened in the same general area, but they are an unpleasant reminder that these things happen. After these sorts of news reports, the Crime Prevention Program often receives inquiries about what individuals and groups can do to increase safety for themselves and the community. The inquiries range from "How do I talk to my child about this without frightening her/him?" to "What are the police doing about this?" to "What are the restrictions on sex offenders?" to "Is there anything we can do to prevent these sorts of incidents?"

Please join us for a safety fair focused on the issue of sexual offenses and sexual offenders in the community. We are gathering together a group of experts on many topics related to sex offenses and sex offenders so that you may talk about these issues with them. Admission is free, and no pre-registration is required.

If you missed the first meeting, here are a couple more opportunities to check out Villages 101: Free North Portland “Village 101” Presentations Want to grow old in your own home & neighborhood supported by a caring community? Then, help us create a Village to serve North Portland! Villages are neighbor helping neighbor. They are networks of volunteer and reduced-cost professional support that foster interdependent aging in community. This kind of Village is not a real estate development or a retirement community. Village members continue to live in their own homes and can be homeowners, renters, seniors sharing housing or living with relatives. Come and bring a neighbor to learn more about the Portland metro-area Village Movement and how you can join the team planning a Village unique to North Portland residents.

7) Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Meeting (3/19)Guest speaker, Alice Busch from the Overlook Neighborhood will talk about emergency and disaster resiliency efforts and what we can do to prepare for such an event. Participation limited to 20 people. Please RSVP to kerry.lionadh@gmail.com

Date: Wednesday, March 19 Time: 6:30 pm Address: 5818 N. Concord "Map your neighborhood booklets" will be available for all who attend.

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8) Liquor Licensing Forum (3/19)

The City of Portland’s Liquor Licensing Program will be hosting a public forum on City of Portland liquor licensing and alcohol policy.

- Understand the policies of the City of Portland Liquor Licensing Program

- Inform City Staff of concerns related to alcohol and the direction you would like to see the City go

We hope you can join us! This is the first in a series of Public Forums that will be hosted over the next few months around the City, and is open to all community members citywide. There will not be a North Portland forum; this is your closest opportunity.

Also of note: The Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association will devote the majority of their regular March 20th neighborhood meeting to a discussion of development in the neighborhood with particular attention to Transit Zone development. They hope to have a panel of folks to share ideas about affordable housing, zoning information and how to get that out to neighbors, safe transportation for walkers and bicyclers, and perhaps how to organize for "Arbor Lodge Development Guidelines". While the emphasis is Arbor Lodge, adjacent neighborhoods are welcome to join this discussion and explore how all can work together to support and empower our north Portland neighborhoods.

March 20, Historic Kenton Firehouse 6:30 pm

The Overlook neighborhood faces all the same concerns as our Arbor Lodge neighbors and we need more Overlook ‘feet on the ground’. If you attend this meeting, OKNA would love a report back!

Also: ABC’s of Land Use workshop provided by BPS planner, John Cole, is tentatively scheduled for early June at the Historic Kenton Firehouse. Details are forthcoming.

If you have an interest in land use planning and want to advocate for your neighbors, this is a great workshop to take.

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10) Repair Café; Fix Stuff With Neighbors (3/20)

At the event, our volunteers will be fixing people’s broken items for free.

This will be our 9th Repair Cafe since starting Repair PDX last May. Please see our website for more details: repairpdx.org If you would like more info about the event and/or share it with more people who are interested the link is: https://repaircafemarch2014.eventbrite.com

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11) NO PSAC Meeting This Month

The North Portland Public Safety Action Committee will not meet this month. The next PSAC meeting will be on Wednesday, April 23rd at 7pm at the Historic Kenton Firehouse.

Saturday, March 29, 10am-3pm at St. Johns Plaza (N. Lombard at N. Burlington) right by the St. Johns Bridge.

A generous selection of Pacific Northwest native plants at reasonable prices, including native oak community plants and hummingbird, butterfly, and bee favorites. The Backyard Habitat Program will have an information table with plant experts on site, and there will be a free workshop on how to care for young trees at 12:30. The event is FREE and open to the public. May even have Finnegan, the peregrine falcon there to greet plant shoppers. Volunteers are welcome!! For more information about volunteering, please email Dianne Harrington at howdiharrington@gmail.com or phone 503-960-0682 For more general information please see friendsofbaltimorewoods.org or email us at friends@friendsofbaltimorewoods.com